Senior Portraits: Create the Ultimate Experience

Lesson 19 of 38

Rooftop Shoot: Senior Girl Part 1

Senior Portraits: Create the Ultimate Experience

Lesson 19 of 38

Rooftop Shoot: Senior Girl Part 1

Lesson Info

Rooftop Shoot: Senior Girl Part 1

It is a little overcast so but the sun is still coming from right there so to give you a little more light in your face I'm gonna have you facing that to come right over here and turn around right there yeah right about there. Okay put that down for a second I want you to cross one one leg over and give me like this yeah kind of yeah there you go fix your hair falling out schools all right that's what I'm here for okay now okay, so make sure there are you know, no hairs fix her she can't see herself because she doesn't have a mirror so that is what I'm here for okay just like that that's perfect awesome can get down with perfect again. We're coming close to you okay, get that shoulders more biggest fix that one little piece of hair right there it's a little windy oh may have to do this a lot and that's okay, get right there there you go on just a sec oh that's so pretty my gosh hang on one more yeah struck that shoulder perfect. Okay, give me one without a smile just like a closed mout...

h smile just a gentle yeah that little smirk yeah that's perfect oh, perfect, perfect okay, let me get a full length oh, these are awesome. You're doing awesome, okay let's change at the post it's a little bit take your arms and almost hug yourself and yeah there you go that's cute yeah, a little bit down like that that's perfect right there. I'm just getting from here up so it's good that you squatted because I'm sure they're so cute okay, turn around and face that way and then what I want you to do is put one hand over the hips and turn around like this okay? Yes, perfect turn you turn your body with it just a little there you go right there and no smile that's perfect right there that look we're working with some elements here with wires and and telephone poles so I'm moving to make sure that nothing is going through your head and stuff like that. Okay, now give me more of a cute like, you know, like you turned around like yeah, there you go one coming oh, my gosh, my memory cards already full well, I'm shooting with a d eight hundred which is not my typical camera usually shoot with a d seven hundred so with the eight hundred the the memory card fills up a lot faster so just take a minute, take a break, hang on if I can get this one going ok let's, stay here, make sure form at the card okay let's go back to that little yep awesome okay let's do a squatting pose real quick so when you squat and make sure your back leg is up higher than your front leg and just go straight down like this and then I want you to lean over like this okay his hair's gonna stick in there in the makeup a little bit right in the lip glass right now and actually you know what why don't you pull your hand right there right there and that way you can hold that hair that's perfect gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous tilt your head just a little bit that way yeah there you go that's perfect coming here oh, so pretty I love it okay let's do another one where you are standing up and I want your need to come in like this and just kind of give me a little bit yeah there you go that's all some perfect okay, now we're gonna throw it out crazy model pose okay because I know you can pull it off okay, so I want you to pull your arm up like this then pulled this one up right here and then that cute I like that I like the head till that's perfect. Okay, I like that what you just did is awesome and I go okay, okay let's do that what? You just did your kind like laughing and yeah it's really killed god give me like, something like this and laugh. Yeah, yeah. There you go. Perfect. Oh, my gosh. So cute. Okay, let's, go over here and sit down. The only element that we have to sit down on is right over a year. Okay, so I'm actually gonna want you to sit right here on the corner, okay, legs in like this. And then I want you to lean down like this, okay? I really think I need this, but that's perfect. Right there. Yeah. Till that head there. Ugo is right. Okay, close your eyes and I'll count. One, two, three, and then I want to look at me. Okay, actually, okay, that might help you a little bit, not bland. You okay? Close. Um all right. One, two, three. Perfect. Coming right here. Head till they get right there. Perfect. Right there. Okay, now kind of look up, giggle like their girl. You and do my booty dance for you. It makes you giggle, right? Don't dio I hold on. I am again out of memory, man, this memory goes fast. Does he have another memory card? Only brought two up here. You guys want to shoot real quick? Yeah. You want to come in and shoot? Wait. Another memory card? Um, so that is what you think? Yeah. Yeah, well, the meeting of the shutter speed slappers. Okay, so dialled is different than mine, but it may not be different for yours. Just play around with it real quick and see, although I got to get another memory card. Take it. Okay, so let's, talk about what you normally bring with you. I'm in on a shoot that's on location with pretty much all your shoes. You? Yep. What do you bring with you when I bring the reflector, which is a five and one photos flex, I think is the name of it reflector. So I bring my reflector every my killing, more bags full of my love, the more bag, but I don't bring a lot of equipment. I'm very simple shooter. I don't want to lug a bunch of stuff I use my eighty five mostly, which was what I was using just now on dh. Then I have a twenty four seventy, but I don't use it that off just because I don't. I love ah, prime linds, I love the sharpness of a prime loons. Um, twenty first seventy. I tend to use more for if I was going to shoot a family or if I used to use it a lot when I was shooting kids. Because I didn't necessarily have the luxury of moving right as much. So I needed tio, have the lens move on dh then I also have a fifty millimeter, which I still love. But I like eighty five, just a little bit more. So typically, eighty five is usually what's on my camera the whole time now I have also used thirty five millimeter prime, which I love for wide shot so that well, so yeah, it's usually just the camera's memory card with lenses. I don't use artificial lights. I don't have a flash. And on every take it right on down a reflector on dh sometimes a stepladder and sometimes my little crate that I mentioned earlier. So yeah. That's. What that's, what goes with me? Awesome. Thank you. I love the little stepladder. Yeah, well, I'm sure. So what? So, you know, it helps a lot, but you also find the climbing on staff. Um like, I'll climb up some steps or I'll climb on the ledge of a wall or something that I might see in the and you know, on location and stand on that awesome so a question had come in about way talked earlier a little bit about the fact that you do shoot a little over exposed can you talk a little bit about why that it's right over exposing tends teo smooth skin and of itself now I do do some skin smoothing in photoshopped that that does help also love the brightness of it on their face that's just my style I guess to be will on dh then also it's a little bit easier to pull and overexposed image down and pull and under exposed image up like in photo shop or came over or whatever so she usually like one stop maybe two stops depending out here it's so it's a little bit darker some I would go up another stop here no good for us, ladies, we're going oh, my god, I'm not thinking over no, I tell anybody, okay, this question has come up a couple of times and it was about driving and I actually did you do you drive the seniors? Do they follow you? What sort of the protocol what's legal what's safe what's what protect yourself well I'm not a lawyer but I would venture to guess that probably you might find yourself in a sticky situation if something were to happen and they were in your car um again that is not my I'm not I'm not a lawyer but yes that would make sense that maybe you don't want them in your car so typically they're following me to locations and you know most of time my locations aren't that aren't that far away from where here makeup is just for that purpose that we don't have a lot of travel time I could go on the outskirts of greenbow and find you mountains and things like that but I don't because I don't want them having to drive that far I try to keep it because even if the mom's not coming I don't want her worried about her senior driving all over the place or whatever but to keep it safe it's better for them to follow you and that way they can have all their stuff in the car now sometimes they will jump in my car to change because maybe my car's bigger than theirs or maybe man has tension winters there's not but yeah just just haven't follow you and then if you happen to change locations have been follow you there as well and that was another question that we talked about we talked a little bit about yesterday but people who weren't with us yesterday and asked again today about where do the scene right right on the nation and it is in the car they do make papa dressing room so that's a possibility but I've always found that they're almost more trouble than they're worth kind of like an umbrella to me an umbrella is more trouble than it's worth but then again I don't live here well in fact if you use an umbrella here in seattle you know that means you're not from here right? Right so I'm cool even in south carolina because I was using a fella but you know to me like it could be a little bit like you definitely have to stand there hold it because if any wind comes it's gonna blow it away so I found it just easier to do in the car most girls are somewhat used to that you know especially kendra's dancer says she's changed all over the place right? So she was used teo just change your ways. So this was a question that had come up from stephanie michelle and do you have sort of a catalogue of images of locations that you show your clients to say where do you want to shoot or do you do it? Do you suggest them based on the questionnaire that you fell out? I you know, most of my clients trust me to determine the location they don't actually ask where we going too much? I think that's a great idea from her I think that's awesome, but most among you know, they fill out that questionnaire and they know that I'm planning it accordingly and I told them that so I might mention, you know, I've got I've got the locations in mind. Of course they may see some stuff in my imagery in my portfolio, my welcome guy, things like that if they ever see something, they specifically won't say something, but most of time there they trust me by now to know the different location. So I do think that might be a good idea for people that maybe your newer and can showcase something like that and just say, or even if you're not knew, you could still do it. You know, if your clients interested but like I say, most of mine just trust me to pick the right location. Yeah, but I think like you said, having those variety in your portfolio exactly talked a lot about yesterday about branding and showing what is that? Your style is in the types, so you know, well, looks like we have a camera ready, tio it's a memory. Okay, so come on out, we're gonna let angel let's shoot a little bit and what do you want angela to be looking for well, since it's overcast, I don't like you can automatically need thio pump up your eyes. Typically, we started four hundred to one. I think I have it so I would start there and you may have to bump it up more on dh then typically, I shoot where? You know, like a two point two so that the backgrounds blurred out on dh. Then I meet her with the shutter speed. So that's that's typically how I shoot that. Is that gonna learn? With four hundred? Okay, starting that and that's the thing gets the starting point. Take a photo, let model no ham gonna check the lighting, check my settings on dh take the photo, and then you may have to make some adjustments, but you gotta start somewhere. So that's, what I would do on dh then always just inform your senior about what you're doing. Just talk to them, you know? Tell them. Okay, take a break. I got to check something just so they know it's. Not anything they're doing, making them feel comfortable on dh like they're doing the right thing. Okay, so good for okay. Get back into disposed where your leaned over like that and always make sure check their hair, pull it out of their face, take the time to do it now, because you don't want a photo shop, that letter and you make, you know, beginning this, you just say, ok, I'm going to come up to you removing hair. That is that. Okay? They're always say yes, so that's on, and then you just let him know that's what, you're gonna d'oh, not like you would look down to your shoulders a little way. Here's parted, okay, because she looked this way. This was covering which could be an artistic way to take it but also have it this way so then you see more concealer makeup look to your right and to get close right now give me a little flu look up at me with a little it's hard to see on a back of a camera that you're not used to that's another thing on the lcd display might be different for cameras you kind of have tio who knows what way actually get up I know I know but you know you're no your gear is super important because I know exactly how money is so I know when I'm looking at it is true to what I will be on the computer so make sure you know that as far as the screen on the doctor came another thing is while she's sitting get as many sitting poses you can it's a lot of times I will go and say okay we're gonna start out with your arms draped and then I will take a few and then I want you to pull your arm up here and then maybe I want youto risked it this way and then take three or four different quick changes just before you move her and you're not constantly coming back and forth back and forth like that so that might be something if you can think of three different ways to do her pan while she's sitting okay, maybe change your legs up whatever you could always put her legs over to sad like that and I think I have you take your yeah that's really pretty way laugh out loud in your head just a little love very pretty and then also just make sure you take a vertical close up fool you but I know it's hard but you take nicely vertical ideo try toe and then all times well shoot really wide and I got close I get you know remember yeah yeah they definitely make sure you do vertical close up pulling three quarters horizontal because you may not use all of those that make sure taking them so when you get back you can pick the bedroom what you looking at a possible shots to make sure you're you know going in they're coming out burkle mcdonnell just keep that in mind before you move her because you may move her and then I think wait okay so we have to do with hands like you wanna change your legs a little bit maybe like kick him to the side of law and rest on that you and I maybe about, like, maybe, like, kind of maybe lean like, yeah, let's, hear it. I'm taking the right, your right hand, kind of touch your way and look down on the ground, kind of laugh out loud, feel way more, just a little bit funny positions cross for gambling dragon. Yeah, yeah, you just have a good time with you. You're going to get the natural laugh. Yeah, you know, exactly. And then, like even if you are trying to have a laugh, usually, if you tell him to laugh, the last silly, but they're laughing at them. Cells were laughing, billy the neck, or you can always do the booth they just laughed at. I'm totally okay with them laughing at me. I will make a fool of myself to get the right shot.

Class Description

High school seniors are energized, creative, and fun – and the best photographers know how to take portraits that capture that spark. Join Leslie Kerrigan for a guide to designing, marketing, shooting and sustaining a senior portrait business.

In this course, you’ll learn everything you need to know to create senior portrait sessions that aren’t just a photo shoot, but are memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Leslie will share her unique approach to creating a style closet, providing wardrobe consultations and keeping up with the of-the-moment social networking tools teens use. You’ll learn about connecting with seniors’ personalities, interests, and sense of style to ensure their portraits are every bit as unique as they are. You’ll hear from the teens, themselves as Leslie hosts a roundtable discussion with a group of teenagers who will talk honestly about what they want out of their senior portraits and how to reach them. You will also explore ways to leverage that personal connection into more sessions, sales, and referrals.

Don’t miss this opportunity to become the dynamic, must-have senior photographer for every teen in your area!

Lightfoot Studio

I can't say enough great things about this course! I went into it thinking I gain a little bit of info on posing and social media ideas... boy was I wrong! Leslie covers topics that I didn't even know where apart of Senior Photography. I highly recommend purchasing this course, if for no other reason then for the awesome senior panel that lets you know really want seniors want, are looking for, and actually care about in regards to their photos/social media/etc... I hope to meet Leslie one day and thank you personally! :)

Lynn Powell Roberts

I learned a lot from this course. I watched all day when CL replayed Sal Cincotta's senior course and I wanted a second perspective, so I bought Leslie's course. I'm really glad I purchased Leslie's course because it was a great complement to Sal's course. Leslie covered different things like using a style closet that I especially found useful. She also did a beach shoot with a male and female model, which I found very useful and different from Sal's style. Leslie is so excited about "her girls" that she photographs - it's very engaging. I highly recommend this course.